Crutch tip



May 1945- 'r. JONES ET AL I 2,376,776

GRUTCH TIP Filed NOV. 2, 1944 J/omas 5. @7285; i may 6]? fines- IN V EN TORS Patented May 22, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ORUTCH TIP 1 Thomas E. Jones and Mary Grace Pence Jones,

a South Bend, Ind.

' Application November 2, 1944, Serial'No. 561,530

11 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in crutch tips.

Crutches are conventionally supplied with rubber tips. Such tips serve multiple advantageous purposes. Among the advantages are cushioning of impact, deadening of sound, protection against wear of floor coverings, and gripping or frictional contact with floors and other surfaces to prevent slipping, However, under some conditions of use, such rubber tips are hazardous. Thus, rubber loses its gripping and non-skid properties when contacting ice, snow or a smooth wet surface. Consequently, crippled people who are able to Walkabout freely with the aid of crutches or canes under normal conditions, cannot walk out-of-doors in wet, snowy or icy weather without assistance or the exercise of great care and attention to the condition of each successive surface spot which the crutch or cane tips engage. I

The most effective crutch tip for use on an icy, snowy 01' wet smooth surface is a rigid pointed tip. Such tipshave not been feasible heretofore, however, because they present so many 1 objections to use under normal conditions, particularly indoors, and it is not possible for a crippled person to carry two pairs of crutches or an extra cane or canes in order to be able to change from one to the other as the need for a different tip arises.

Therefore, it is the primary object of this invention to provide a crutch'tip' having a reversible part with two diiferent types of terminal portions which can be selectively arranged in operative ground-engaging position.

A further object is to provide a device of this character having a mounting to which a double,- ended member is reversibly connected by latching means adapted to lock said member in selected supporting position-or to shift said member clearof said mounting for reversal thereof.

A further object is to provide a device of this character including a mounting, a reversible tip and a locking member, whereinthe parts are so constructed that the tip solidly interengag es with the mounting and is fixedly positioned by the locking means but can be quickly and easily released and bodily shifted for reversal of said tip.

.Other objects will be apparent-from the de'-- scription, drawing and appended claims.

In the drawing: V

Fig. 1 is a side view of the tip.* s

Fig. 2 is a side view of the'tip taken at rightangles to Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a side view similar. to Fig.2 illuse trating the device in position for tip reversal, with parts shown in section.

Fig. 4 is an axial sectional versible tip unit of the device.

Referring to the drawing, which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, the numeral [0 designates the end portion of a cane, crutch 01' like appliance, of any desired or conventional construction; to which the improved tip is applied.

The tip unit comprises three main parts,,a mounting member ll, areversible end part l2 and means l3 for connectingnand locking the part 12 to the mounting. As here shown, the mounting ll comprises a' rigid metal tube or sleeve fitting firmly and fixedly around the crutch or cane end portion In and secured there view of the reto in any suitable manner. The sleeve projects beyond the end surface of member l0 toprovide a socket open at its outer end.

The reversible part- 12 preferably comprises a cylindrical body member l4 whose central portion is of substantially the same diameter as the exterior diameter of sleeve l2. The opposite end portions l5 of body l4 are of reduced diameter to fit within the outer end of the sleeve. The ends 15 are slidable freely into and out of the socket provided by the end of the sleeve l2, and fit in said socket snugly and substantially without lateral play. A transverse circumferential shoulder 16 is defined between the central portion and each of the reduced end portions l5 of I body l4, and these shoulders are adapted to have continuous solid abutment with the outer end of sleeve I2 when the respective adjacent'reduced portions I5 are operatively and fully inserted into the socket.- One end of body It is A strip of rubber i8 of a width greater than the depth of recess I1 is rolled and inserted into said recess. A retainer, in the nature of a frustoconical metal. wedge member 19 of a diameter slightly less than the recess a I1 and having an axial opening therein, is positioned within the rubber roll [8. A rigid conical metal tip 20 bears against the opposite end of body 14. Suitable securing means, such as a bolt 2l,'may serve to fasten both of the members l9 and 20-to the body. As here illustrated,

bolt 2| passes through central bores in the wedge and the body and is threaded in a socket in the inner end of metal tip 20;- As this bolt is tightened, the wedge member is "drawn inwardly to firmly clamp the rubber roll I8 in the socket ll and the inner face of the metal tip 20 is brought bent in substantially U-shape to provide a pair of j elongated parallel end portions22 lying in par- 1 allel planes spaced apart to fit freely at opposite sides of sleeve ll. Thebight portion 23 of the;

yoke is bent to substantially arcuateform viewed? both longitudinally-and transversely-thereof, and

is adapted for fiat face engagement with the outer end ofthe sleeve II in its operative position as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. The arms 22 T their ends at 24-:to' tha are pivoted intermediate ,is somewhat twisted whereby its center portion sleeve H adjacent the upper end of said sle'evefi The yoke is so constructed that the arms or ends? 22 thereof will be positioned at'a slight high-t 23 projects when said bight engages sleevej i2", -as 'best'illustrated gatdlihk2'5 is pivoted at 26 at one end to each arm 2 2 of the yokefiflhe' opposite end of each link'ispivoted at 2T'to the reversible bodyl4 midway lbetween the opposite shoulders I 6 there OTYT'W a the normal or operative position of theparts illustrated in Figs. *1 and 2, the links'25 extend substantially parallel to the arms 22 of the yoke, 30

and are held'inthis positionby the engagement of bight 23 with sleeve H incident to the slight over=center-positioning 25 positionthe shoulder; at the inner end of the part '12, infirm engagement end 50f sleeve '1 I, 'This shoulder engagement, together with'the snug fit "ofthe inner reduced end i5within the sleeve, holds the part 12 firmly against play and "n alignment 1 with the sleeve in Fig. A rigid eloninc1ina-; tion over-center in the direction at which the 0T"the parts; *Ihe links with the outer 5 1. A crutch tip comprising a rigid sleeve adapted to be fixedly mounted on an appliance, a carrier mounting a pair of tip elements at its opposite ends, said carrier having opposite reduced end portions defined by circumferential shoulders and adapted to fit snugly in ,the end of said sleeve with said shoulders bearing firmly against said sleeve, a pair of links pivotally connected at one end to said carrier midway between said shoulders, anda yoke having-a of elongated arms pivoted to said sleeveintermedi ate its ends and to said links at their other ends, and having a night engageable with said sleeve;

1 .2. .A crutch tip comprising a mounting member adapted to be fixedly secured on an'appliance and havinga socket at its outer end, a yoke having arms pivoted to said mounting member at points spaced from their ends, a pair of rigid links eachpivoted atone end to the ends of the respective yoke arms, and a tip carrier pivoted at mid-length to-the opposite endsoisaid l said tip carrier including'shouldered portions at opposite ends each adapted .for snugj solid fit inflsaid' socket, said arms and linksbe'ing swingablepast'dead center relative'to the" axis of said mountingmemb'er and cooperating for firmly locking aid tip carrier in said socket. I

A crutch tip comprising a mounting member adapted tobe fixedly secured on the end of an appliance, a reversible tip carrier,"a' yoke pivoted to'said mounting member and normally. positioned with its opposite ends slightly inclined and projecting above/the pivot, and a pair of links each pivotally' connected at one end to the respec'tiveends of said yoke and 'at' their opposite endsto the center of said'tip carrier, said carrier 'e e "w Hence; the Parts pivoting of said yoke from normal position.

are so locked th t a'firm and solid "connection is. formed and is maintained-effectively during all conditions of normal use.- r

When it is desired to--reverse the part i2, -the upper ends of yoke arms Ha-nd the links :25 are 12 is free to revolve uponpivot axis 21. There I2 can again be positioned in-alignmean the selected one of its upon the part ment'w'i-th sleeve end parts'lfl and 'zli outermost, and the yoke is swung back to the 2 position to again effect an over-centerlocking ofthe parts.

e The two operative reversed positions of the part 12 are illustratedin Figs; 1 and 2, v a v a It will-be understood that the form and construction of both the'rubber-tip w andthe conical metal tip 26 are illustrative, and that any selected ior m and construction of these parts which will fit within the socket at the end of sleeve ma be employed. Also, it will be understood thatthe term ifcrutch tip as used hereinvisaillustratiyerand not :limiting since the device :isa-pplica=ble to anycrutch-Jcane or other supporting appliance orfldeiziceihaying a grounds engagingend portion. ,1

Weclaima.

her adapted to be fixedly secured on the. end of an appliance, a reversible tip carrier, means for positioning either end of saidcarrierin operative e l e ement with and against lateral displacementrelative to said mounting member, and looking means including parts. pivoted to said 'mounting memberand carrier respectively; and to each other, one of sai-dparts having a stop engageable with said mounting member.

5. VA crutch tip comprising a mounting member adapted to be secured to an appliance, a carrier moun in a P i Of tip-elements in opposite ,relation, the opposite ends of said carrier having similar seat portions for interfitting supporting engagement with said mountingmember, and means carried by said mounting for pivotally supporting said carrier, said means being shiftable longitudinally to disengage said carrier from said mounting and including a locking part operative when said carrier and mounting member ,interfit,

6. A crutch .tip comprising a socket member adapted to a carrier having similar portions: .at its ends adapted to fit snugly in the socket in supporting relation thereto, aresilient tip element secured at one end-oi sa d carrier, a pointed rigid tip element secured to the oppositeend of said car- I rier, each tip element being selectively receivable f in said socket member, and connecting .means pivoted to said socketniember and the mi'd' point of said carrier, said connectingmeans serving to lock said carrier in interfitting relatio'n'to 'said socket'member in adjustment and bein Fe- 4;. .A' crutch tip comprising a mounting'mem-' be secured to the end of an appliance,

. socket.

leasable to bodily shift said carrier clear of said 7. A crutch tip comprising a tubular member adapted to be secured to the end of an appliance in projecting relation thereto, a cylindrical carrier having similar end portions each adaptedto fit snugly in said tubular member and circumferential shoulders at said endsadapted to bear against the end of said tubular member, and bodily shiftable locking means carried by said tubular member and revolvably mounting said.

carrier.

8. A crutch tip comprising a rigid tube adapted to be secured to and project from the end of an appliance, a carrier mounting tip elements at its opposite ends and having end portions each adapted for supporting interfitting engagement with said tube, a yoke spanning and pivoted to said tube, and a pair of links pivoted at their opposite ends to said yoke and said carrier, said yoke and links being swingable over a dead center position and forming a lock when said carrier end fits in said tube.

9. The combination with a crutch, of a socket member secured to the bottom .of the crutch, a carrier mounting a pair of tips at its opposite ends fit snugly in and supportingly engage said socket member, and normally tensioned locking means connecting said carrier and socket member and bodily shiftable to disengage said carrier from the socket member, said carrier being pivoted to said locking means.

10. The combination with a crutch, of a socket member secured to the bottom of the crutch, a carrier mounting a pair of tips at its opposite ends and having opposite end portions each adapted to fit snugly in and supportingly engage said socket member, and a pivoted link and lever'unit pivotally connected to said socket member and car-' rier and having a dead center position for locking said carrier in operative engagementwith said socket member.

11. The combination with a walking appliance, a carrier mounting a pair of tip elements at its opposite ends, means on said appliance for centering said carrier in supporting relation thereto,

and extensible locking means connecting said appliance and carrier, said carrier being rotatably connected to said locking means.

THOMAS E. JONES.

MARY GRACE PENCE JONES.

and having opposite end portions each adaptedto 

